


Enjoy the Moment

by lachoy



Series: Inked [3]
Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-24 08:15:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6147391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lachoy/pseuds/lachoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The arguing with Joshua isn't new, but the kissing most definitely is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Enjoy the Moment

Neku has absolutely no idea why Joshua is so Joshua. There's plenty of adjectives to describe him, but Neku doesn't think any single one really encompasses just what he is. So Joshua is Joshua. Simple as that.

Here he is, basically throwing a temper tantrum for reasons he shouldn't even be throwing one. Why is Joshua so immature and why is he the one running Shibuya? Why does Neku put up with him? Why does he willingly hang out with him and why does he actually enjoy the little shit sometimes?

“How many times do I have to tell you, Josh? I couldn't tell you about the tattoo thing because you were busy. It wasn't like I wanted to keep you out of the loop. This wasn't on purpose.” Actually, Neku's irritated that he wasn't the one to tell Joshua. It seems like Hanekoma let it slip and Neku's going to mention it to him later.

Joshua sighs, sighs like he's dealing with something so impossible. Like it's Neku being the complete child here and Neku swears he could punch him flat in the jaw. If Joshua wouldn't become air and Neku's fist wouldn't hit the door because oh is that a possibility. “I can't believe I have to tell you.”

“Josh,” Neku growls, fists clenching. “You appear out of nowhere in my room, which by the way? Can you at least text me before doing that because I'm getting real sick of that crap. You gotta know the definition of privacy.” Joshua raises an eyebrow, a silent 'will you go back to your point?' and Neku will have to get back to Joshua's lack of tact when coming over to visit. “I just don't understand what I was supposed to do. How was I supposed to tell you? You were busy with your stuff, right? Am I supposed to just start knocking at the wall at Shibuya River? 'Oi, Josh! Let me interrupt your work so I can tell you about my life!'” Neku's hoping his mom is working late because she's never met Joshua and he isn't entirely sure how he'd introduce him to her when he's so incredibly pissed off.

Because why does Joshua act like he's owed this information? Neku had wanted to tell him because for some reason, Neku claims possible insanity (maybe a bullet to the brain caused some damage who even knows), Neku thinks of him as a friend. But it literally had not been possible.

“You were the one that mentioned texting,” Joshua points out, arms crossed and that infuriated pout still on his face.

“Then you would have complained I didn't do it in person. Besides I was going to tell you, but what part of I couldn't do you not get? You were busy, this is something I'm just telling people. Even my parents don't know!”

“Sanae knows, your friends know--”

“They were around!”

“How is that my fault?”

“I'm not blaming you! I'm—argh!”

The worst part of all of this is Neku feels his arms waving, feels how he's ready to start actually yelling, and Joshua is just calm. His voice hasn't raised once and other than that frown, he just seems so unaffected and Neku hates that Joshua knows just how to get him. He completely knows what he's doing and what a dick. Neku wants to calm down, he wants to not yell because that probably gives Joshua some kind of sick satisfaction.

“And you want to do tattoos.”

That sets off some switch in Neku's mind because he knows that tone. It's the tone Neku expects to hear from his parents and oh that he's ready for. That's to be expected and he knows when he meets people and he tells them what he does for a career, he'll get that same tone. But Neku expects it from them because they're strangers and they don't know him. It's different.

But Joshua is using it and Neku thinks it makes this entire situation one hundred times worse. It's then that Neku loses it.

“Are you kidding me? Are you actually kidding me? Not only are you mad at me for not making you my number one priority because let's face it that's what this is all about. You're a spoiled bastard who just expects the whole world to bow themselves at your feet! Well, I'm sorry, your royal pain in my ass! I'm sorry I actually have a life!” That seems to offend Joshua and Neku thinks it's possible he may have actually said something offensive. Not that he will ever know because Joshua won't ever tell him anything. Yet Joshua expects Neku to share every last little thing whenever Joshua wants it. “But you are actually now insulting what I want to do?! Screw you!”

The frown that just seemed childish on Joshua's face has now become actually a little bit threatening. Not that Neku will back down because what can Joshua do? Shoot him again?

“Most people, when given a gift, appreciate it. You have potential and you're wasting it. You could do so much for Shibuya and instead, you're going to put all of it into something like tattoos? Excuse me if I'm not exactly happy with your choice of career, Neku.”

“Are you implying you didn't have to give me back something you unfairly took from me?!”

“Oh, here we go--”

Neku isn't hearing it. If he wasn't so mad, he'd know that Joshua was just trying to brush off how hurt he is (which is still stupid) and just make this into something else to hide his problem. But Neku is mad and so this just unleashes even more frustration. His hands hit the door of his bedroom besides Joshua's head as he glares down at the other. In the three years they've grown (or Joshua has put up the pretense of 'growing'), Neku doesn't think he's grown much but Joshua is still a runt. He practically towers over him. Maybe if they were two normal friends this would be intimidating, but Neku knows he's just a normal guy up against some all powerful whatever the hell Joshua is.

But he really does not care.

“I don't get you. You act like this, like you want to know everything about me, and then say shit like that to my face. To my face! And you won't apologize for it. For anything actually. And I never will get an apology because you're...” He struggles for only a second to think of a word, but he's on a roll and he won't let Joshua ruin it. “You! And I'm stupid because I keep letting you in my life! I keep trusting you and liking you and you treat me like this! I don't get how all of us can change, all of us can be better, but you are just the same!”

Joshua's face has this momentary look of hurt that not even he can hide because honestly, Joshua has changed. He's gotten better and Neku knows that. It's not huge changes, but even Neku knows if Joshua had never changed he wouldn't even be alive. Joshua wouldn't see him. But Neku is angry and Neku's saying whatever will make him feel better. He is sick of quiet, sick of Joshua skirting subjects and his jokes.

“So what right do you have to be mad at me for not telling you about this? Why should I have to go out of my way to tell you anything when you won't do the same for me?” Joshua is silent and Neku just continues. “Can you just actually use your words for the one time in your damn life?!” 

“Is it so bad that I want to be apart of your life?!” Joshua shouts immediately and it isn't exactly what Neku was expecting. It doesn't seem to be what Joshua was expecting either because Neku's certain they probably both have identical shocked faces.

When Joshua started acting like this and Neku indulged it (his first mistake), Neku thought they'd end up going a day without talking. Then Joshua would come back the next and act like nothing had happened. Usual Joshua fashion. Joshua is awful at conversation and he's awful at socialization. Neku's learned this the hard way over and over throughout his times with the Composer. He really doesn't know what he was expecting, maybe just to get his anger out and make Joshua feel bad. Not his most mature moment.

But Neku definitely knows he did not expect them to be kissing. That's what they're doing, though. Kissing. Neku doesn't think Joshua expected this to happen either. Neku isn't certain if he kissed Joshua first or if Joshua did. But they're kissing and this is his first kiss and it's with Joshua. Not with some girl he met at school, not even some boy he met at school. Not even Shiki or Beat, maybe his two most logical choices. 

But Joshua is also the person that he relates to most and Neku wonders if maybe that's a bad thing. Joshua isn't the best person around and yet Neku still just clicks with him. He still has not found another person quite like Joshua and a part of Neku wonders if he ever will. And that's terrifying because Joshua is the Composer, Joshua is dead, and Neku doesn't want to think about those details because this is who he's kissing. What does that say about him?

Joshua freezes and it's fine because Neku's frozen as well. They're both just there, lips awkwardly pressed against the other's as they try to kiss. Neku has no idea what he's doing and surprisingly, it seems like Joshua doesn't as well. It's fine, though. Preferable actually because he doesn't ever get to be on equal terms with Joshua. Joshua is always one step ahead and it feels so damn good for them to be the same for once.

Neku is still confused though and so he thinks loudly, knowing that Joshua can hear him. _What the hell are you doing?_

That makes Joshua act, makes Joshua bring his cold hands to Neku's cheeks as his eyes close and he holds Neku like he's breakable. Joshua is trying and so now Neku tries. They're actually trying to really kiss and they're both just fumbling. Teeth are awkwardly clacking at places and it's making Neku force their argument to the back of his mind. He can't really kiss Joshua properly if he thinks about that. Enjoy the moment, right? And Neku is because later he'll wonder just what Joshua means to him, what this kiss changes, and everything else. Right now he just wants to remember Joshua clinging to him like he's important and special. How Joshua had said he wanted to be apart of his life and Neku doesn't know why that makes him so happy but it does. If Neku can get lost in this moment without life interrupting him then he's okay because he can do soul searching later. You only get a first kiss once.

At least, that's what Neku wants but it's Joshua who ends the kiss first. It's Joshua who stares, wide-eyed and then just disappears leaving Neku to those questions he had wanted to leave for later.

As always, Joshua one-ups him and as always, Neku's left there to stand in complete confusion as that kiss replays in his mind over and over.

**Author's Note:**

> I had this completed for a year and I was like, "No, I want to write Beat finding out about Neku's career choice before I upload this because Beat DOES know before Joshua" but it hasn't come to me and I feel like everybody would be telling me PLEASE JUST SHOW US THE JOSHNEKU KISS. PLEASE. So. Yeah.


End file.
